Re-let transitive verb To let anew, as a house.

Relay governor A speed regulator, as a water-wheel governor, embodying the relay principle.
[ Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Relbun noun The roots of the Chilian plant Calceolaria arachnoidea , -- used for dyeing crimson.

Releasable adjective That may be released.

Release transitive verb [ Prefix re + lease to let.] To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.

Release transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Released (r?*l?st"); present participle & verbal noun Releasing .] [ Middle English relessen , Old French relassier , to release, to let free. See Relay , noun , Relax , and confer Release to lease again.]
1. To let loose again; to set free from restraint, confinement, or servitude; to give liberty to, or to set at liberty; to let go.

Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

Mark xv. 6.

2. To relieve from something that confines, burdens, or oppresses, as from pain, trouble, obligation, penalty.

3. (Law) To let go, as a legal claim; to discharge or relinquish a right to, as lands or tenements, by conveying to another who has some right or estate in possession, as when the person in remainder releases his right to the tenant in possession; to quit.

4. To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of; as, to release an ordinance. [ Obsolete] Hooker.

A sacred vow that none should aye release .

Spenser.

Syn. -- To free; liberate; loose; discharge; disengage; extricate; let go; quit; acquit.

Release noun
1. The act of letting loose or freeing, or the state of being let loose or freed; liberation or discharge from restraint of any kind, as from confinement or bondage. "Who boast'st release from hell." Milton.

2. Relief from care, pain, or any burden.

3. Discharge from obligation or responsibility, as from debt, penalty, or claim of any kind; acquittance.

4. (Law) A giving up or relinquishment of some right or claim; a conveyance of a man's right in lands or tenements to another who has some estate in possession; a quitclaim. Blackstone.

5. (Steam Engine) The act of opening the exhaust port to allow the steam to escape.

Lease and release . (Law) See under Lease . -- Out of release , without cessation. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Syn. -- Liberation; freedom; discharge. See Death .

Releasee noun One to whom a release is given.

Releasement noun The act of releasing, as from confinement or obligation. Milton.

Releaser noun One who releases, or sets free.

Releasor noun One by whom a release is given.

Relegate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Relegated (-g?`t?d); present participle & verbal noun Relegating .] [ Latin relegatus , past participle of relegare ; prefix re- re- + legare to send with a commission or charge. See Legate .] To remove, usually to an inferior position; to consign; to transfer; specifically, to send into exile; to banish.

It [ the Latin language] was relegated into the study of the scholar.

Milman.

Relegation noun [ Latin relegatio : confer French relégation .] The act of relegating, or the state of being relegated; removal; banishment; exile.

Relent intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Relented ; present participle & verbal noun Relenting .] [ French ralentir , from Latin prefix re- re- + ad to + lentus pliant, flexible, slow. See Lithe .]
1. To become less rigid or hard; to yield; to dissolve; to melt; to deliquesce. [ Obsolete]

He stirred the coals till relente gan
The wax again the fire.

Chaucer.

[ Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will . . . begin to relent .

Boyle.

When opening buds salute the welcome day,
And earth, relenting , feels the genial ray.

Pope.

2. To become less severe or intense; to become less hard, harsh, cruel, or the like; to soften in temper; to become more mild and tender; to feel compassion.

Can you . . . behold
My sighs and tears, and will not once relent ?

Shak.

Relent transitive verb
1. To slacken; to abate. [ Obsolete]

And oftentimes he would relent his pace.

Spenser.

2. To soften; to dissolve. [ Obsolete]

3. To mollify ; to cause to be less harsh or severe. [ Obsolete]

Relent noun Stay; stop; delay. [ Obsolete]

Nor rested till she came without relent
Unto the land of Amazons.

Spenser.

Relentless adjective Unmoved by appeals for sympathy or forgiveness; insensible to the distresses of others; destitute of tenderness; unrelenting; unyielding; unpitying; as, a prey to relentless despotism.

For this the avenging power employs his darts, . . .
Thus will persist, relentless in his ire.

Dryden.

-- Re*lent"less*ly , adverb -- Re*lent"less*ness , noun

Relentment (-m e nt) noun The act or process of relenting; the state of having relented. Sir T. Browne.

Relesse transitive verb To release. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Relessee noun See Releasee .

Relessor noun See Releasor .

Relevance (r?l"?*v a ns), Rel"e*van*cy (-v a n*s?) noun
1. The quality or state of being relevant; pertinency; applicability.

Its answer little meaning, little relevancy bore.

Poe.

2. (Scots Law) Sufficiency to infer the conclusion.

Relevant (-v a nt) adjective [ French relevant , present participle of relever to raise again, to relieve. See Relieve .]
1. Relieving; lending aid or support. [ R.] Pownall.

2. Bearing upon, or properly applying to, the case in hand; pertinent; applicable.

Close and relevant arguments have very little hold on the passions.

Sydney Smith.

3. (Scots Law) Sufficient to support the cause.

Relevantly adverb In a relevant manner.

Relevation noun [ Latin relevatio , from relevare . See Relieve .] A raising or lifting up. [ Obsolete]

Reliability noun The state or quality of being reliable; reliableness.

Reliable adjective Suitable or fit to be relied on; worthy of dependance or reliance; trustworthy. "A reliable witness to the truth of the miracles." A. Norton.

The best means, and most reliable pledge, of a higher object.

Coleridge.

According to General Livingston's humorous account, his own village of Elizabethtown was not much more reliable , being peopled in those agitated times by "unknown, unrecommended strangers, guilty-looking Tories, and very knavish Whigs."

W. Irving.

» Some authors take exception to this word, maintaining that it is unnecessary, and irregular in formation. It is, however, sanctioned by the practice of many careful writers as a most convenient substitute for the phrase to be relied upon , and a useful synonym for trustworthy , which is by preference applied to persons, as reliable is to things, such as an account, statement, or the like. The objection that adjectives derived from neuter verbs do not admit of a passive sense is met by the citation of laughable , worthy of being laughed at , from the neuter verb to laugh ; available , fit or able to be availed of , from the neuter verb to avail ; dispensable , capable of being dispensed with , from the neuter verb to dispense . Other examples might be added.

-- Re*li"a*ble*ness , noun -- Re*li"a*bly , adverb

Reliance (- a ns) noun [ From Rely .]
1. The act of relying, or the condition or quality of being reliant; dependence; confidence; trust; repose of mind upon what is deemed sufficient support or authority.

In reliance on promises which proved to be of very little value.

Macaulay.

2. Anything on which to rely; dependence; ground of trust; as, the boat was a poor reliance . Richardson.

Reliant (- a nt) adjective Having, or characterized by, reliance; confident; trusting.

Relic noun [ French relique , from Latin reliquiae , plural, akin to relinquere to leave behind. See Relinquish .] [ Formerly written also relique .]
1. That which remains; that which is left after loss or decay; a remaining portion; a remnant. Chaucer. Wyclif.

The relics of lost innocence.

Kebe.

The fragments, scraps, the bits and greasy relics .

Shak.

2. The body from which the soul has departed; a corpse; especially, the body, or some part of the body, of a deceased saint or martyr; -- usually in the plural when referring to the whole body.

There are very few treasuries of relics in Italy that have not a tooth or a bone of this saint.

Addison.

Thy relics , Rowe, to this fair urn we trust,
And sacred place by Dryden's awful dust.

Pope.

3. Hence, a memorial; anything preserved in remembrance; as, relics of youthful days or friendships.

The pearls were spilt;
Some lost, some stolen, some as relics kept.

Tennyson.

Relicly adverb In the manner of relics. [ Obsolete]

Relict noun [ Latin relicta , from of relictus , past participle of relinquere to leave behind. See Relinquish .] A woman whose husband is dead; a widow.

Eli dying without issue, Jacob was obliged by law to marry his relict , and so to raise up seed to his brother Eli.

South.

Relicted adjective [ Latin relictus , past participle ] (Law) Left uncovered, as land by recession of water. Bouvier.

Reliction noun [ Latin relictio a leaving behind.] (Law) A leaving dry; a recession of the sea or other water, leaving dry land; land left uncovered by such recession. Burrill.

Relief noun [ Middle English relef , French relief , properly, a lifting up, a standing out. See Relieve , and confer Basrelief , Rilievi .]
1. The act of relieving, or the state of being relieved; the removal, or partial removal, of any evil, or of anything oppressive or burdensome, by which some ease is obtained; succor; alleviation; comfort; ease; redress.

He sees the dire contagion spread so fast,
That, where it seizes, all relief is vain.

Dryden.

2. Release from a post, or from the performance of duty, by the intervention of others, by discharge, or by relay; as, a relief of a sentry.

For this relief much thanks; 'tis bitter cold.

Shak.

3. That which removes or lessens evil, pain, discomfort, uneasiness, etc.; that which gives succor, aid, or comfort; also, the person who relieves from performance of duty by taking the place of another; a relay.

4. (Feudal Law) A fine or composition which the heir of a deceased tenant paid to the lord for the privilege of taking up the estate, which, on strict feudal principles, had lapsed or fallen to the lord on the death of the tenant.

5. (Sculp. & Arch.) The projection of a figure above the ground or plane on which it is formed.

» Relief is of three kinds, namely, high relief ( altorilievo ), low relief , ( basso-rilievo ), and demirelief ( mezzo-rilievo ). See these terms in the Vocabulary.

6. (Paint.) The appearance of projection given by shading, shadow, etc., to any figure.

7. (Fort.) The height to which works are raised above the bottom of the ditch. Wilhelm.

8. (Physical Geology) The elevations and surface undulations of a country. Guyot.

Relief valve , a valve arranged for relieving pressure of steam, gas, or liquid; an escape valve.

Syn. -- Alleviation; mitigation; aid; help; succor; assistance; remedy; redress; indemnification.

Reliefful adjective Giving relief. [ Obsolete]

Reliefless adjective Destitute of relief; also, remediless.

Relier noun [ From Rely .] One who relies.

Relievable adjective Capable of being relieved; fitted to recieve relief. Sir M. Hale.

Relieve transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Relieved (-l?vd"); present participle & verbal noun Relieving .] [ Middle English releven , French relever to raise again, discharge, relieve, from Latin relevare to lift up, raise, make light, relieve; prefix re- re- + levare to raise, from levis light. See Levity , and confer Relevant , Relief .]
1. To lift up; to raise again, as one who has fallen; to cause to rise. [ Obsolete] Piers Plowman.

2. To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.

Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky; seemed almost of supernatural height.

Sir W. Scott.

3. To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.

The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject with a moral reflection.

Addison.

4. To raise or remove, as anything which depresses, weighs down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting; to alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; to lessen; as, to relieve pain; to relieve the wants of the poor.

5. To free, wholly or partly, from any burden, trial, evil, distress, or the like; to give ease, comfort, or consolation to; to give aid, help, or succor to; to support, strengthen, or deliver; as, to relieve a besieged town.

Now lend assistance and relieve the poor.

Dryden.

6. To release from a post, station, or duty; to put another in place of, or to take the place of, in the bearing of any burden, or discharge of any duty.

Who hath relieved you?

Shak.

7. To ease of any imposition, burden, wrong, or oppression, by judicial or legislative interposition, as by the removal of a grievance, by indemnification for losses, or the like; to right.

Syn. -- To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help; support; substain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish; remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.

Relievement (-m e nt) noun The act of relieving, or the state of being relieved; relief; release. [ Archaic.]

Reliever noun One who, or that which, relieves.

Relieving adjective Serving or tending to relieve.

Relieving arch (Architecture) , a discharging arch. See under Discharge , transitive verb -- Relieving tackle . (Nautical) (a) A temporary tackle attached to the tiller of a vessel during gales or an action, in case of accident to the tiller ropes . (b) A strong tackle from a wharf to a careened vessel, to prevent her from going over entirely, and to assist in righting her. Totten. Craig.

Relievo noun [ Italian rilievo .] See Relief , noun , 5.

Relight transitive verb To light or kindle anew.

Religieuse noun f. Re*li`gi`eux" (r e -l?`zh?`?") noun m. [ French] A person bound by monastic vows; a nun; a monk.

Religion (re*lĭj"ŭn) noun [ French, from Latin religio ; confer religens pious, revering the gods, Greek 'ale`gein to heed, have a care. Confer Neglect .]
1. The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of faith and worship; a manifestation of piety; as, ethical religions ; monotheistic religions ; natural religion ; revealed religion ; the religion of the Jews; the religion of idol worshipers.

An orderly life so far as others are able to observe us is now and then produced by prudential motives or by dint of habit; but without seriousness there can be no religious principle at the bottom, no course of conduct from religious motives; in a word, there can be no religion .

Paley.

Religion [ was] not, as too often now, used as equivalent for godliness; but . . . it expressed the outer form and embodiment which the inward spirit of a true or a false devotion assumed.

Trench.

Religions , by which are meant the modes of divine worship proper to different tribes, nations, or communities, and based on the belief held in common by the members of them severally. . . . There is no living religion without something like a doctrine. On the other hand, a doctrine, however elaborate, does not constitute a religion .

C. P. Tiele (Encyc. Brit.).

Religion . . . means the conscious relation between man and God, and the expression of that relation in human conduct.

J. Köstlin (Schaff-Herzog Encyc.)

After the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

Acts xxvi. 5.

The image of a brute, adorned
With gay religions full of pomp and gold.

Milton.

2. Specifically, conformity in faith and life to the precepts inculcated in the Bible, respecting the conduct of life and duty toward God and man; the Christian faith and practice.

Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion .

Washington.

Religion will attend you . . . as a pleasant and useful companion in every proper place, and every temperate occupation of life.

Buckminster.

3. (R. C. Ch.) A monastic or religious order subject to a regulated mode of life; the religious state; as, to enter religion . Trench.

A good man was there of religion .

Chaucer.

4. Strictness of fidelity in conforming to any practice, as if it were an enjoined rule of conduct. [ R.]

Those parts of pleading which in ancient times might perhaps be material, but at this time are become only mere styles and forms, are still continued with much religion .

Sir M. Hale.

» Religion , as distinguished from theology , is subjective, designating the feelings and acts of men which relate to God; while theology is objective, and denotes those ideas which man entertains respecting the God whom he worships, especially his systematized views of God. As distinguished from morality , religion denotes the influences and motives to human duty which are found in the character and will of God, while morality describes the duties to man, to which true religion always influences. As distinguished from piety , religion is a high sense of moral obligation and spirit of reverence or worship which affect the heart of man with respect to the Deity, while piety , which first expressed the feelings of a child toward a parent, is used for that filial sentiment of veneration and love which we owe to the Father of all. As distinguished from sanctity , religion is the means by which sanctity is achieved, sanctity denoting primarily that purity of heart and life which results from habitual communion with God, and a sense of his continual presence.

Natural religion , a religion based upon the evidences of a God and his qualities, which is supplied by natural phenomena. See Natural theology , under Natural . -- Religion of humanity , a name sometimes given to a religion founded upon positivism as a philosophical basis. -- Revealed religion , that which is based upon direct communication of God's will to mankind; especially, the Christian religion, based on the revelations recorded in the Old and New Testaments.

Religionary adjective Relating to religion; pious; as, religionary professions. [ Obsolete]

Religionary, Religioner noun A religionist. [ R.]